On Sunday, work commenced to repair submarine cables under the Mediterranean, which are suspected of being cut by a ship's anchor. As a result, it has hindered Internet and international telephone service in parts of the Middle East and south Asia.

On 21st December, at 1330 GMT, experts arrived at the site of the damage between Sicily and Tunisia on a cable ship.

A remotely operated submarine robot was sent with the aim to track down the cables.

While referring to the France Telecom Marine "Hector" vehicle, Louis-Michel Aymard said, "The robot has begun its mission."

On Saturday, honorable Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh expressed that adequate emphasis was not being given to the role of technology in supporting India's counter terrorism and internal security efforts and also there was an urgent need for greater investment in security technologies.

The Symantec's Norton Internet Security for Mac 4.0, a suite of security software with a long name and a variety of security features was released recently which has given Mac owners an option of another security application.

On 21st December, a European launch vehicle released into space, India's first satellite built for a foreign customer, a 3,460kg communications capsule that is the heaviest so far from the Indian Space Research Organization.

The W2M satellite was placed into orbit by the Ariane 5 launch vehicle. The W2M is developed to provide radio, television, cable and data services across Europe, North Africa and West Asia, and just after 32 minutes after lift-off from a spaceport in French Guiana at
4.05am Indian time, it started of with its work.

Washington  - World economies may be on shaky footing, but consumer technology is moving steadily forward. And 2009 promises to be a particularly exciting year, with a mix of both new and improved products that represent more than mere incremental advances. While some of what's on tap will take existing technologies and make them better, other products will shake up entire industries and ask us to work a little differently, with the goal of enhancing both our productivity and our enjoyment. Here's what's in store.

--- SSDs threaten hard drives

Melbourne, December 21 : Mobile phones may soon come to be used for such downloads as may save their users' lives.

The Red Cross has launched a text service in first aid, which has found favour with thousands of people, who keep downloading cardio pulmonary resuscitation instructions to their handsets.

Within seconds an animated instruction appears on screen, advising on how to deliver CPR.

A diagram tells cell phone users how to clear the airways, start breathing, and compressions. The download costs three dollars.